tengtren
New Member
Close grip barbell rows with just a slight bend!! Can do this with a bench and a smith machine too
Make them pop from the back
And of course pinning them
Make them pop from the back
And of course pinning them
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
Shrugs are a waste of time!!
- Thread starter Morefyah
- Start date
I'll throw some fun little extras in during back day to help with traps. Seated close grip rows, lean back at a 45 degree angle and row up to your chin. Same can be done with seated pulldowns.
My gym has this same machine and it's great.
DB shrugs are nice...and with 80s.
Direct trap work is going to depend on individual proportions.
If you’re deadlifting, pressing, rowing, and raising heavy weights your traps are going to grow. The typical bro shrug with 6 plates and a 2” ROM isn’t doing shit for growth.
EDIT: You want more trap growth? Make it a legit shrug. Seated, with DBs palms facing your sides, none of this rolling your shoulders bullshit, up as high as you can (like shoulders touching your ears high) hold for a second, slow descent. Repeat.
If you’re deadlifting, pressing, rowing, and raising heavy weights your traps are going to grow. The typical bro shrug with 6 plates and a 2” ROM isn’t doing shit for growth.
EDIT: You want more trap growth? Make it a legit shrug. Seated, with DBs palms facing your sides, none of this rolling your shoulders bullshit, up as high as you can (like shoulders touching your ears high) hold for a second, slow descent. Repeat.
I cant remember it was either Mike Mentzer or Robby Robinson that said do a 1-2 count at the bottom and at the top of the shrugs. Those oldtimers always included shrugs...
T-Bagger
Member
Imagine my surprise when my gym finally got one of those and they advertise it as a squat apparatus and not a shrug machine. They probably thought I was an idiot when I kept requesting a shrug machine.
Lol not sure how they think it's a squat machine but I like the positioning of the handles so I can shrug with neutral grip.
100%. Just commenting on the state of “shrugs bro.” I haven’t seen a shrug done right in any gym I’ve been in for a long time. Same for squats. Probably why the “hip thrust” thing brought up earlier is now a dude movement.
Or maybe I just have superior trap and ass genetics. *shrug*
weighted chinup
Member
IME it's important to limit the weekly volume of direct trap work if it's being performed. Going beyond 12 sets per week is more than likely going to manifest itself in really weird ways that you may not suspect is related to the direct trap work (bicep tendinosis). I only do them when dieting down and try to keep frequency and weekly volume down to 3 sets 3x a week.
T-Bagger
Member
Sorry, not a squat machine but more of a lunge machine.
There's a similar plate loaded machine but for hip thrusts. My gym got that one recently as well and it's a hit with the ladies lol.
LeoTC
Member
And dudes look at you like you're crazy when you correct them.
Because how could putting sheering force on your rotator cuff not be beneficial.
Btcowboy
Member
Haha mine too lol
MisterSuperGod
New Member
i don't do shrugs anymore. Heavy upright rows are doing a fine job of working them. On several occasions, i'll wake the next morning with a headache because my traps are so sore and tight from the rows the night before.
You told me that emphasizing the pull on upright rows is a good shoulder girdle exercise. What if you took 30-45% of your power clean on an EZ bar, held with your fingers, and brought it as high as the rack position without flipping over your grip? Could that be a good trap builder?
The elbows up cue is working great by the way thanks for that.
LeoTC
Member
If your aim is to build your traps, loaded carries are king. Secondary would be heavy rack pulls with a static hold.
My traps aren't up to my ears, but they're thick as fuck. Haven't done a shrug in years.
My traps aren't up to my ears, but they're thick as fuck. Haven't done a shrug in years.
T-Bagger
Member
I quit saying anything and just wait for the day and hope I’m there when their rotator cuff tears.
I dont get why everyone's against hip bridges. No one has seen that every strongman does them? Hell, Zydrunas does them with 700 lbs. Guess those guys are all feminine bitches huh? 
They seriously strengthen the posterior chain, which makes for a lot more strength in your squats and deads.
I'm just a little guy but I bang out sets of 20 with over 300lbs.
I don't think my squats/deads would be at the level they are without them. Never mind the added mass in the glutes/hams/lower back....
They seriously strengthen the posterior chain, which makes for a lot more strength in your squats and deads.
I'm just a little guy but I bang out sets of 20 with over 300lbs.
I don't think my squats/deads would be at the level they are without them. Never mind the added mass in the glutes/hams/lower back....
I’m not knocking them. When done as part of a complete training routine they’re a great movement. But it’s a new “fad.” Guys weren’t doing them beforeC doing them now, still can’t squat or deadlift for shit.I dont get why everyone's against hip bridges. No one has seen that every strongman does them? Hell, Zydrunas does them with 700 lbs. Guess those guys are all feminine bitches huh?
They seriously strengthen the posterior chain, which makes for a lot more strength in your squats and deads.
I'm just a little guy but I bang out sets of 20 with over 300lbs.
I don't think my squats/deads would be at the level they are without them. Never mind the added mass in the glutes/hams/lower back....
I dont get why everyone's against hip bridges. No one has seen that every strongman does them? Hell, Zydrunas does them with 700 lbs. Guess those guys are all feminine bitches huh?
They seriously strengthen the posterior chain, which makes for a lot more strength in your squats and deads.
I'm just a little guy but I bang out sets of 20 with over 300lbs.
I don't think my squats/deads would be at the level they are without them. Never mind the added mass in the glutes/hams/lower back....
I do glute bridges with a dumbbell and resistance bands. It may look silly and like a chick exercise, but they helped get my deadlift from low 600's to almost 700lbs last year.
I agree with this, most people have no idea what they're doing or why they're even doing it. You can tell by the way they just wander around and try shit for an hour and then leave. Also by the way they never grow or lift more weight.
